One killed in Melbourne stabbing attack claimed by Islamic State

The attack during the afternoon rush hour brought the centre of the Australian city to a standstill.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

A burnt out vehicle

A knife-wielding man has stabbed three people, one fatally, in Melbourne in an attack police linked to terrorism.

The attack during the afternoon rush hour brought the centre of Australia’s second largest city to a standstill. Hundreds of people watched from behind barricades as police tried to apprehend the attacker.

Officers said the man got out of a pick-up truck, which then caught fire, and attacked three bystanders with a knife.

He also attempted to attack police who arrived on the scene, before being shot in the chest by an officer. He died in hospital.

One of the victims also died, while the two others were admitted to hospital.

Police said the attacker’s vehicle contained several barbecue gas cylinders in the back. A bomb squad rendered them safe.

If members of the public have images or video footage that may assist police with their investigation into the Bourke Street incident that occurred just after 4pm today, they are encouraged to upload them here → https://t.co/swUcgLVz23pic.twitter.com/XD2ST6y6aT

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton said the suspect, originally from Somalia, was known to police and the incident was being treated as terrorism.

“From what we know of that individual we are treating this as a terrorism incident,” he told reporters, adding that the police counter-terrorism command was working on the case with homicide detectives.

“He’s known to police mainly in respect to relatives that he has which certainly are persons of interest to us, and he’s someone that accordingly is know to both Victorian police and the federal intelligence authorities,” he said.

Police at the scene (Australian Broadcasting Corporation/AP)

Advertising

The Islamic State group claimed the attack in a statement released through its Aamaq media arm.

It said the man was “one of Islamic State fighters” and had responded to IS calls for attacks in countries that are part of the international coalition fighting the militants in Syria and Iraq.

The attack occurred on the eve of a busy weekend in Melbourne, with a major horse race scheduled for Saturday and a national league football match the following day. Sunday is also Remembrance Day, when memorial ceremonies for the First World War are held.

Mr Ashton said police were “doing security reassessments of these events in light of what’s occurred”, but there was “no ongoing threat we’re currently aware of in relation to people surrounding this individual”.